Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Little Rock

Updated June 4, 2026

Rankings are a starting point, not a verdict. Safe Rate recommends speaking with 2-3 lenders to find the right fit for your home loan!

⚖️ The 4 PsRankings are calculated based on observed lender differences on closed loans across Pricing, Pull-through, Product, and Place.

🛡️ No Pay to PlayLenders cannot buy their way to the top. Rankings are 100% earned.

📊 HMDA 2024Built using publicly available originated loan data from the federal government.

🎯 Peer BenchmarkedPerformance is normalized and benchmarked against peer institutions.

Market

Total Lenders85

Total Loans8,194

Median Rate Spread0.34%

Little Rock Market Insights

First Security Bank is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Little Rock, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Little Rock: Bank: First Security Bank (#1). Credit union: Arkansas Federal Credit Union (#6). Mortgage company: Lendlo Mortgage (#3).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Little Rock, Navy Federal Credit Union and First Security Bank scores highest on pricing while Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #9 in Little Rock, serving as the platform behind many independent local brokers who live and work in the community. A local broker knows the neighborhoods, the local market, and is personally invested in your outcome. Real estate agents often prefer referring local brokers for their accessibility and responsiveness, qualities that matter when a deal is moving fast. Pricing and experience can vary by broker.
Popular names in Little Rock: Rocket Mortgage (#7) and Eagle Bank and Trust (#2).

Explore Rankings by Type

By Loan Product

Lenders often score differently for different loan products. Get tailored rankings by selecting your product type.

FHA Loans Conventional Loans VA Loans Jumbo Loans USDA Loans

By Institution Type

Some consumers only want to work with a credit union, bank, or focused mortgage company. See our rankings here!

Banks Credit Unions Mortgage Companies

Shopping for a mortgage? Click the heart icon to save lenders to My Home and make comparison painless.

Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	First Security Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,134Fees	0.195%Below	170
2	Eagle Bank and Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,276Fees	0.182%Above	445
3	LENDLO MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,900Fees	0.140%Above	356
4	BANK OF LITTLE ROCK MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,033Fees	0.194%Above	229
5	FLAT BRANCH MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,153Fees	0.406%Above	333
6	ARKANSAS Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,557Fees	0.069%Below	280
7	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,834Fees	0.453%Above	655
8	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$885Fees	0.492%Below	82
9	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,604Fees	0.118%Below	233
10	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,014Fees	0.157%Above	89
11	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,126Fees	0.157%Below	67
12	Arvest Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,743Fees	0.321%Above	532
13	ENCORE BANK BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$760Fees	0.240%Above	226
14	COMMUNITY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,387Fees	0.102%Above	134
15	NBKC BANK BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$430Fees	0.101%Below	34
16	First Horizon Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,466Fees	0.120%Above	203
17	Chambers Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,157Fees	0.120%Below	95
18	Centennial Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Exceptional	$1,665Fees	0.296%Above	241
19	GERSHMAN INVESTMENT CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,298Fees	0.005%Below	49
20	The First National Bank of Fort Smith BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,363Fees	0.120%Above	46
21	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,190Fees	0.030%Below	124
22	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,682Fees	0.552%Above	63
23	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,292Fees	0.161%Above	319
24	Simmons Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,720Fees	0.371%Above	174
25	Cadence Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,677Fees	0.211%Above	78
26	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$3,453Fees	0.477%Above	76
27	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,288Fees	0.122%Above	86
28	Bank of England BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,707Fees	0.308%Above	222
29	First Community Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$3,385Fees	0.190%Above	172
30	Regions Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,948Fees	0.343%Above	168
31	FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,749Fees	0.437%Above	57
32	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$2,068Fees	0.188%Above	50
33	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Sound	$2,214Fees	0.260%Above	44
34	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$2,336Fees	0.374%Above	96
35	HIGHLANDS RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE, LTD. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Strong	Strong	$3,572Fees	0.579%Above	144
36	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,062Fees	0.359%Above	94
37	SWBC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	$3,847Fees	0.277%Above	39
38	First Financial Bank BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Sound	$1,163Fees	0.075%Below	25
39	MORTGAGE FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$2,585Fees	0.637%Above	78
40	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,900Fees	0.608%Above	66
41	T2 FINANCIAL LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,001Fees	0.335%Above	54
42	PILGRIM MORTGAGE LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,161Fees	0.676%Above	62
43	SENTE MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Strong	Exceptional	$3,526Fees	0.477%Above	145
44	USAA Federal Savings Bank BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Strong	$1,391Fees	0.161%Below	76
45	CORNERSTONE CAPITAL BANK, SSB BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$4,463Fees	0.974%Above	55
46	NFM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	$4,851Fees	0.855%Above	35
47	Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$2,644Fees	0.438%Above	30
48	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	$2,569Fees	0.627%Above	26
49	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$4,231Fees	0.554%Above	76
50	Gateway First Bank BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	$2,063Fees	0.452%Above	29

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Little Rock?+

Safe Rate ranks lenders using the 4 Ps framework, derived entirely from HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) data: Pricing (how competitively a lender prices loans vs. the market benchmark), Pullthrough (how effectively a lender closes applications), Place (the lender's depth of expertise in Little Rock), and Product (performance on specific loan types). Each lender receives a composite Safe Rate Score from 0–100. No lender pays to appear in the rankings.

What is the Safe Rate Score?+

The Safe Rate Score is a 0–100 composite index measuring a lender's performance across Pricing, Pullthrough, Place, and Product. Scores of 80 or above earn Champion status; scores of 60–79 earn Superstar status. All scores are calculated from verified HMDA data — no lender can pay to improve their position.

How many mortgage lenders are active in Little Rock?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 85 lenders originated a combined 8,194 loans in Little Rock. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Little Rock?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Little Rock is 0.34%. Lenders in Safe Rate's top rankings consistently price below this median, meaning borrowers typically pay less interest over the life of their loan.

What is HMDA data and why does Safe Rate use it?+

HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) is a federal law requiring every mortgage lender to disclose every loan application annually — including rates, amounts, approvals, and denials. Safe Rate uses HMDA because it is government-verified, covers all lenders equally, and cannot be gamed. It is the most objective foundation available for lender rankings.

Does Safe Rate accept payment from lenders to appear in rankings?+

No. Safe Rate rankings are strictly data-driven. No lender can pay to appear in or improve their position in Safe Rate's rankings. The only factor that determines a lender's rank is their verified HMDA performance data.

What is the difference between a bank, credit union, and independent mortgage company?+

Banks and credit unions offer mortgages alongside checking, savings, and other products. Independent Mortgage Companies (IMCs) focus exclusively on originating loans and often offer more product variety and speed. In Little Rock's rankings, all three institution types are evaluated on the same HMDA performance metrics.

How We Rank Lenders

Our rankings use a weighted average of scores across equally-weighted categories to evaluate lenders on a linear, raw performance scale.

Our Point System (Max 30 Points)

Pricing

Rate and fee competitiveness (33%)

Pull Through

Reliability in closing loans (33%)

Place

Local market expertise (33%)

Data Integrity & Updates

Data is updated quarterly based on the latest HMDA filings and proprietary SafeRate analysis. All metrics are calculated using standardized methodologies to ensure fair comparison across lenders.

⚖️ Licensing & Disclosures

Lender rankings and market statistics are created by Dylan Hall, licensed mortgage loan officer (NMLS #1658740). Safe Rate is a mortgage technology platform; mortgage lending services are provided by PartnerOwn LLC dba Safe Rate Mortgage, a licensed mortgage broker and lender (NMLS #1590949). Safe Rate Mortgage is a lending partner of some of the lenders ranked on this page, and Safe Rate Inc. has software or service customers on this list; however, all rankings are calculated using objective, public Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) datasets, completely independent of any corporate partnerships, client relationships, or compensation.